1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to refrigerated display cases and storage units and, more particularly, to a device for housing and mounting components such as ballasts within refrigerated display cases and storage units.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refrigerated display cases are typically found in grocery stores, convenience stores and florist shops. These display cases are used to display products which must be stored at relatively low temperatures and often include shelves, glass doors and/or glass walls to permit viewing of the products supported by the shelves. Refrigerated storage units are typically found in warehouses, restaurants and bars. The storage units typically include shelves and are used to store food, beverages and other items which must be stored at relatively low temperatures. Refrigerated display cases and storage units may be free standing units or "built-in" units that form an actual part of the building in which they are located, such as those found in convenience stores.
Lighting units are typically provided inside refrigerated display cases and storage units for illuminating the items supported by the shelves or otherwise placed therein. When the lighting units include florescent lamps, ballast units are often employed to fire and illuminate the lamps. The ballast is preferably mounted adjacent to, or in the vicinity of, the florescent lamps so as to minimize the length of the conductor required to electrically couple the ballast and the lamp.
Ballasts are normally mounted and retained within a ballast can which includes various wiring fixed in thermoset plastic. The wiring must be connected to the ballast when the ballast is placed into the can. The ballast can is either mounted on, or forms a part of, the refrigerated display case or storage unit's surrounding frame. The surrounding frame is an integral part of stand alone units. In "built-in" units, the frame is mounted within an opening formed in a wall. Ballast cans are typically bulky and, heretofore, the ballast has been secured to the portion of the ballast can which is mounted on, or forms a part of, the surrounding frame. One reason for this mounting arrangement was the misguided belief that such an arrangement was necessary to support the weight of the ballast and ballast can.
Ballast cans typically include an access wall, or door, secured by a clip to insure that the door remains closed during normal use. When prior art ballast cans are mounted on the inside front of a frame, the access wall faces the rear of the display case or storage unit. As a result, a technician who wishes to service or replace the ballast must open the front door of the display case or storage unit, reach inwardly and around the ballast can, open its door, and then service the ballast without making visual contact with it. Alternatively, the technician must reach in from the rear of the unit across one or more shelves to access the ballast can. Often, products and shelves must be removed in order to reach the ballast. Prior art rear access ballast cans are, therefore, normally very difficult to access and service and there is a need for a more easily accessible ballast can.
Another disadvantage associated with prior art ballast cans is related to the fact that such ballast cans are often integral with the frame, or attached to the frame with a series of nuts and bolts. As such, it is impossible or, at a minimum, very difficult, to remove the ballast cans from storage units and display cases for repair or replacement. Installation of ballast cans is similarly difficult.